Black and White (1999 film)
Black and White is a 1999 film directed by James Toback, starring Scott Caan, Claudia Schiffer, Brooke Shields, Robert Downey Jr., Jared Leto, Allan Houston and a number of rap musicians, namely members of the Wu-Tang Clan (Raekwon, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Power, Masta Killa and Inspectah Deck), American Cream Team (Chip Banks and Lord Superb) and Onyx (Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz). The movie also notably features Ben Stiller in a rare dramatic role as a sleazy police detective, as well as Mike Tyson playing himself. It had its first showing at the Telluride Film Festival on September 4, 1999, followed by a second screening at the Toronto Film Festival on September 15, 1999. It had its widespread theatrical release in the U.S. on April 5, 2000. Plot The inner workings of the New York hip-hop scene, and the fascination of white observers with rap music and hip-hop culture, set the stage for this drama written and directed by James Toback. Rich Bower (Power) is a mover and shaker in the world of rap music (he's involved with a number of other licit and illicit business ventures as well), and his apartment is a favored meeting place for musicians, hangers-on, and hipsters who want to seem cool, including a clique of white kids who want to be on the inside of whey they consider the coolest scene of the day. Sam (Brooke Shields), a filmmaker, is making a documentary about Rich and his circle, with the help of her husband Terry (Robert Downey Jr.), a closeted homosexual who doesn't feel at home in this milieu. Dean (Allan Houston) is a talented college basketball player and Rich's friend since childhood who is offered a deal by a bookmaker, Mark (Ben Stiller) to throw a few games for a price. Dean takes the money against his better judgment, and he soon realizes how much of a mistake he made when Mark turns out to be a cop hoping to dig up dirt on Rich. Rich in turn discovers that Dean might be forced to tell what he knows to stay out of jail, and he decides that Dean has to be killed; however, rather than murder his friend himself, Rich asks one of the white kids who hangs out with him, who seems especially eager to prove himself, to do it for him. The kid, however, is actually the son of the District Attorney. Also contributing to Black and White's supporting cast are controversial boxing legend Mike Tyson, musician Bijou Phillips, Wu Tang Clan rapper Raekwon, model Claudia Schiffer, and Donald Trump's former spouse Marla Maples. Cast *Scott Caan - Scotty *Robert Downey Jr. - Terry Donager *Stacy Edwards - Sheila King *Allan Houston - Dean Carter *Gaby Hoffmann - Raven *Kidada Jones - Jesse *Jared Leto - Casey *Marla Maples - Muffy *Joe Pantoliano - Bill King *Bijou Phillips - Charlie *Power - Rich Bower *Raekwon - Cigar *Claudia Schiffer - Greta *William Lee Scott - Will King *Brooke Shields - Sam Donager *Ben Stiller - Det. Mark Clear *Eddie Kaye Thomas - Marty King *Elijah Wood - Wren Production Most of the script for this movie was improvised by the cast. Only Claudia Schiffer's part was fully scripted. Because she'd never had them done previously, Claudia Schiffer had to have her ears pierced especially for the large hoop earrings worn by her character in this movie. In addition to sporting fake dreadlocks, Brooke Shields also wore a nose ring for this film, for which she had her nose temporarily pierced. Dean is described repeatedly as a "star point guard." Actually, like the actor (a star basketball player in real life), Dean is a shooting guard who sometimes also plays small forward.